The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jasinda Ardern, imposed a ban on assault and semi-automatic rifles in the country. This decision was made after the shooting in two mosques of Christchurch, which killed 50 people — TASS reports. Jasinda Ardern noted that the ban on all semi-automatic and assault rifles in New Zealand is being introduced 6 days after the attack. In addition — the equipment that can convert the rifles into semi-automatic types, and large-capacity ammo magazines are also banned. The Cabinet instructed to develop a plan to purchase the weapons of this type from the owners. On 15th of March, a shooting took place in two mosques in the city of Christchurch. 50 people were killed. Another 50 were hospitalized.

A man from Senegal, working as a driver in the Italian province of Cremona, hijacked and then set fire to a school bus with 51 children. After the 57 years old man hijacked the school bus — he poured gasoline inside — Interfax reports. According to the eyewitnesses, he shouted that none of the bus passengers would survive. Also he wanted to “stop the deaths in the Mediterranean sea”. After the bus was stopped by the police — the driver set the inside of the bus on fire. The police was able to swiftly evacuate all the children from the burning vehicle, an Italian news agency reported.

The Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that starting from the next week, Russia will begin a regular supply of medicines to Venezuela. The volume of the deliveries is estimated in several tons. «The Russian authorities announced that several tons of various medicines and pharmaceutical substances will be delivered to Venezuela during the next week» — RIA NEWS quotes his words. Nicolas Maduro added that Russia promised to help Venezuela on a regular basis. The President of Venezuela also noted that his own country currently makes 70% of the needed medicines. Nicolas Madudo added that in addition to Russia, Venezuela can also get help with the medicines from Iran, Belarus, China and Turkey.

The armed Kurdish opposition, known as »Syrian Democratic Forces», supported by the international coalition led by the United States, announced the successful completion of the assault on the village of Baguz, which was considered to be the last ISIS stronghold in Syria — Interfax reports. “The settlement has been completely freed from the ISIS. The military operation in the village is over” — the command of the »Syrian Democratic Forces» announced. Earlier, the US President Donald Trump announced that Baguz will be liberated in the coming hours. The military operation in the Baguz area was complicated with the presence of civilians. They were often used by the terrorists as human shields.

As a result of the explosion in the city of Kabul during the celebration of Navruz — the holiday of spring and the new year — 6 people were killed, 23 were injured — TASS reports with a reference to the Reuters. According to the Xinhua News Agency — a bomb exploded on a suicide bomber. The Tolo News TV channel, while citing the reports from the eyewitnesses, announced that the city of Kabul was hit with a rocket attack. «Eyewitnesses of the explosion said that this was due to a rocket attack» — the Tolo News reported on Twitter. It was reported that 3 rockets were fired at the area.

On Thursday, the Russian Parliament passed a bill, thanks to which the Russian elder citizens will be able to receive their pensions above the subsistence minimum level, which will be calculated according to the single method in the regions — TASS reports. According to the current regulations — the pensions can’t be lower than the subsistence minimum level, established in the region. The elder citizens thus are entitled to additional payments from the regional or federal budget, if the regional subsistence minimum level is higher or lower than the federal level. On 1st of January, an indexation of pensions took place in Russia. It led to an increase of their size, but also — to the reduction of the additional payment. Thus the real size of the pension of the low-income elder citizens didn’t change. Currently, the additional payment will be paid first, in order to bring the pension payment to the subsistence minimum level in the region. Then it will be indexed.